Protective device for frangible vessels.



No. 844,779 Q PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907. W. CONSTABLE. PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR PRANGIBLE VBSSELS.

APPLICATION FILED OGT.31, 1904.

Witnesses: Irn entqr:

/Z7,9f w I William Constable,

by M M s W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR FRANGIBLE VESSELSJ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application filed October 31, 1904. Serial No. 230,643.

[n 111/ rr/mm/ if may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CONSTABLE, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Sclarnectady, county of Schenectadv, state of New York, have invented certain new and tsel'ul lnnwovements in a Protective Device for l rangible Vessels, of which the following is 'a specification.

During the transportation of glass or similar vessels or receptacles containing merc1.r

or other ll; ids such, lo' example, as mercury-vapor lamps, rectifier-s, or the likethere is considerable danger of h-acti re ol the containing vessel d1 e to swashing ttIOt nd 01 the lh id in the vessel. lnder conditions frequently met with this movement of th id is apt to produce, by impact with. the walls of the vessel, a considerable shock of a nature similar to that known as "waterhammer. If this shock takes place at points in the vessel which are not particnarly strong-as, for example, at the sealingoilpoints or where leading-in condrctors pass through the walls of the \'essel--a t'lttt king of the lass is apt to take place, and the apparatus is tln s rendered przu'tically inoperative. In order to provide against danger due to handling ol s; ch vessels, l have devised a novel means l'ot'"'preventing dangerous shocks to the containing vessel by reason of unrestricted llow of th id therein.

The novel features which clntracterize my invention I have pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itsell', however, will be better understood by reference to the following description, taken in'eonnection with the accompanying drawing, which ilhstrates one of the numeror s embodiments ol' which my invention is capable.

ln the drawing I have represented my invention as applied to a merc-t.ry-vapor rectiller. This application ol my invention, however, is merely ilh strative, as the invention may be utilized in numerous other relations than that shown.

The rectifier shown in the drawing consists of a completely-exlnu stcd glass receptacle. or envelop. In its general form the receptacle consists of branches communicatin with each other. The branches 1 and 2 mclose graphite electrodes 3 and 4, constituting anodes. The branch 5 serves as a condensil'ig-chamber, while a depending portion 6 contains a body oftmercury 7, constituting I a cathode. A small pocket 8, located later- I ally of the body of mercury 7, contains a small quantity of IDOIC-LIY 9, constituting a l supplemental or starting anodel Electrical connections with all of these electrodes are 5 made by means of st itable leading-in wires. l The particular construction of the rectifier lnot being ol my invention, no special del seription thereof is necessary, since the nal lure of rccti'fiers of this character is well understood by those skilled in the art.

In order to overcome danger of breakage or cracking of the rectifier during transportation or similar handling, I provide in each chamber, extension, or branch of the reetitier a fluid-checking device of my invention. Thus in the chamber or branch 5 I locate a helicoid 1Q; formed of a strip of sheet metal wound on edge. The strip need not necessarily be lane, butunay, ifdesired, be corrugated, im euted, or'otherwise irregular. The outer diameter of tie helicoid is such as to her 5. The helicoid when inserted in position is held tirmly in place by means of'in dentations in the glass envelop, as at, 11, 12, 13, and 14. The diameter of the central opening through the helicoid is made as small as )ossible. When the opening is comparative v small, the helicoid may be left. in this condition, though I prefer, as an additional measure of safety, to block the opening against the passage of fluid by filling it with a glass tube or similar body 15. This may be held in place by upsetting the ends of the tube or otherwise fashioning it when in position so as to make it self-retaining.

If during handling of the rectifier the apparatus he suddenly inverted the mercury, as at 7, will be projectedinto the extension or branch 5. Before it can reach the extremity of this branch, however, it comes up against the. springy helicoid 10, which largely takes up the shock of impact. The mercury, it the parts are retained in inverted position, can then llow in a sort of corkscrew fashion between the turns of the helicoid and emerge at the opposite end of the exterior of the I branch or chamber 5. Danger of fracture of the glass, due to the shock of impact of the mercury, is thus prevented.

ln addition to the protective devices in the chamber 5 I provide other weak points of the glass receptacle with similar protective del vices. Thus in the branch or chamber 1 l form a close fit with the interior of the cham-' too . the surface. of the mercury 7.

' the return flow of the mercury.

provide a helicoid 16 of edgewisc-wound metal strip. This is retained in position by ing in the hclicoid 16 and, if desired, may be insulated therefrom by a surrounding bushing or tube 18 of glass. A similar shock-absorbing device 19 is provided for the o1her chamber or branch 2 of the envelop.

In the extension or pocket (3, containing;

the body of mercury 7, i also provide a helicoid 24), similar to those heady described. This helicoid is held in by a suitable formation of the glass envelop, such as by the indentations 21, 22, 23, and 24. The parts are located so that the helicoid when the apparatu. in normal position is entirely below The helieoid becomes eii'ective a protective device not only by. delaying the escape of mercury from the part 6 when the apparatus is inverted, but also operates to take up the shock upon A similar protective device 25 is submerged in the merc'ury 9 of the starting-electrode.

It is evident that various modifications of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, for which reason I do not wish to belimited to the exact details shown and described.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The rod 1. The combination of a frangible vessel, fluid in said vessel, and means for opposing the flow of said fluid consisting of a strip formed into a lielicoid.

2. A device for opposing the movement of fluid, consisting of an inelosed helicoid formed. of a strip of suitable material, and with the central opening closed.

3. The combination of a frangible vessel, fluid in said vessel, and resilient walls pro-. viding' a tortuous passage for the fluid.

4. The combination of a frangible vessel, fluid in said vessel, and a device inclosed by and engaging walls of said vessel and having helicoidal surfaces for absorbing shock due to movement of said fluid.

5. The combination of a frangiblevessel, fluid in said vessel, and a shock-absorbing device inclosed by and engaging walls of said vessel and interposed in the path of movement of said fluid, said device ofl'ering a tuining or twisting path for said fluid.

6. The combination of a frangible vessel, fluid in said vessel, and a shock-absorbing device consisting, of a resilient coiled metallic strip.

7. The combination of a frangible vessel, fluid in said vessel, and a shock-absorbing device consisting of a resilient coiled strip.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of October, 1904.

WILLTAM CONSTABLE.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN Onroen. 

